Improvement in match-boxes



E. S. BURCH ETT.

Match-Bux. N0. 163,846. Patentedlunehmw.

THE GRAPHIC C0.PHOT0-LITH.39&41 PARK PLACE,N.Y.

NTTED STATES PATENT QEEICEC EBENEZER STANLEY BUROHETT, OF 20 BROMPTON SQUARE, ENGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN MATCH-BOXES..

Specification formng part of Letters Patent No. 163,846, dated June-1, 1875; application filed May 11, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EBENEZER STANLEY BURGHETT, of 20 Brompton Square, in the county oi Middlesex, England, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, have invented or'discovered new or useful Improvements in Boxes for Containing Matches or other Articles; and I, the said EBENEZER STANLEY BURGHETT, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to Vbe particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof-that is to say:

This invention has for its object improvements in boxes for containing matches and other articles. For this purpose I construct a box in such manner that it may be caused to open simply by means of pressure applied to the box at its back end. This I effect in the manner illustrated in the drawings hereto annexed.

Figures 1, 2, and 3 show separate views of the parts of the box in its simplest form. Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the body a of the box; Fig. 2, a similar view of the lid b,- and Fig. 3 shows a spring, c, by which the opening and closing of the lid is eitected. Fig. 4 shows a section of the box when open, and Fig. 5 a similar view of the box when closed. A portion of the back of the box a is slotted away, as shown at a', Fig. 1. The bent-up.y end of the spring c fills in this slot, and the stem of the spring is secured to the bottom of the box, either by making slots in the bottom, as shown, and slipping the stern of the spring under and over the` parts left between the slots, or the spring may be otherwise fixed. The back of the lid is continued beyond the hinge upon which the lid turns, and a portion of it, b1, is bent to come in front ofthe spring c, while the other parts, b3, are bent downward to come in rear of the spring.

When the spring at the back of the box is pressed inward its upper end bears against b1 and causes the lid to open, and when the spring is relieved from pressure it resumes its former position, and, in doing so, pins or projections c1, which stand out from its upper end, catch against the parts'ba, and cause the lid to turn down and close the box.

In place of applying a spring at the back of the box and causing it to act directly upon the lid, in the manner above described, the

spring may be placed at the front and caused to act upon a sliding tray placed within the box, and which, at its back end, acts upon the lid in the same way as the spring inthe box just described.

Figs. 6 and 7 show a box constructed accordin g to this modification of the invention. Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the box when open, and Fig. 7 a similar view of the box when closed. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 show perspective views of its several parts.

The exterior or body of the case or box, marked a, is composed of a bottom, front, and two sides; within this is placed a tray, b2, formed with a bottom and with a front and back. The bottom of the tray is held down to the bottom of the case by turning inward small portions of the sides of thel case, as shown at c2 c2. c, Fig. 10, is a spring placed between the front of the tray and the front of the outer case. b, Fig. 9, is a lid hinged to the outer case, as shown. The plate forming the lid is continued at f in rear of the pins e', which form the hinge, and is bent in such a manner as to form two horns, oneto come in front of the back of the tray and the other in rear of it, so that when the tray is pressed inward the lid shallopen, and when the back of the tray is relieved from pressure the spring shall force it back to its original position and again close the lid. Or, in place of the back portion f of the lid being curved in the manner shown at Fig. 9, it may simply be bent downward to come in rear of the back of the tray.

Figs. 12 and 13 show a box constructed in this manner. Fig. 12 shows a transverse section of the box when open, and Fig. 13 a similar view of the box when closed. Figs. 14, 15, 16, and 1.7 show separately perspective views of the several parts ofthe box.

When the back of the tray is pressed upon with a finger the tray moves inward, compressing the spring c, Fig. 17, and the inger at the same time bears upon the part fof the lid and turns the lid upward.

In order to prevent'the lid from opening too wide a small portion of the back of the tray is turned over, as at g, Fig. 15.

When the pressure ofthe finger is relieved the finger and automatically closed, as set the spring c forces the tray back to its former forth. position; and the back of the tray, pressing 2. The combination of the box-body, the lid, against the part f of the lid, causes the lid to the tray, and the spring, these members being; aga-in turn on its hinge and to close the box. constructed and operating substantially as Seli I claim as `my improvements in the oonforth.

struotion of boxes- EBENEZER STANLEY BURGHETT.

l. The combination, substantially as set Witnesses:

forth, ofthe box-body, the hinged lid, and the G. F. WARREN,

spring bearing against the back of the lid, WILMIER M. HARRIS,

whereby the box is opened by the pressure of Both of No. 17 Gmccchurch Street, London. 

